


Reimagining Rose Petals

by chucks_prophet



Category: The Haunting of Bly Manor (TV)
Genre: Bathtubs, Cuddling & Snuggling, Dreams and Nightmares, F/F, Fluff and Angst, Hurt/Comfort, Jamie Being the Best Girlfriend Ever, Naked Cuddling, Romantic Gestures, WHAT MORE CAN YOU ASK FOR
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-10-14
Updated: 2020-10-14
Packaged: 2021-03-08 21:54:06
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,008
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/27003856
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/chucks_prophet/pseuds/chucks_prophet
Summary: She turns back to stare into the latrine again, like it's a crystal ball with all the answers to life's never-ending troubles. That is, until the water turns into a flashing headlight, blinding her. She shrieks and stumbles back. Instead of a cold wall, she meets another body and she startles again."Whoa whoa easy, Poppins, easy, I've got you."
Relationships: Dani Clayton/Jamie
Comments: 8
Kudos: 265
Collections: The Shatterdome's Trick-or-Treat Challenge





	Reimagining Rose Petals

**Author's Note:**

> Disclaimer: Slight spoilers, but it is detached enough to read as a standalone if you haven't gotten around to the show yet or are still early into it.
> 
> For the word prompts from me and ralsbecket's Halloween challenge: A4. Nightmares and F4. Hugs from behind (because fluff isn't complete to me without a little bit of angst)
> 
> Feel free to join us if you'd like on here and/or the Discord of the same name as the collection!

The stillness that falls on Bly Manor this time of night is almost eerie, but not tonight. Tonight, occupying the quiet is the soft sound of rushing water accompanied by her bare feet against the old wooden floorboards, creaking in protest and littered with rose petals that extend down the hallway into her room. Dani can't help smiling—something her face wasn't used to prior to Bly. Now she smiles freely and sometimes without cause, inhibitions to the wind as she lets the path of the pedals, rather than her mind, lead her to her heart's desire.

When she glances down again, she's wearing flats. They're a white lace applique to match her dress. There are hundreds of people in similar attire surrounding her, chattering amongst themselves before ceasing at once upon seeing Dani like a group of cicadas after a long song.

The flower girl drops one last tiny fistful of flowers onto the wooden floor before taking her place at the altar. When she looks up, Dani’s met with her own reflection—a younger version of herself staring back at her through heavy eyelids. She looks to the man next to her in a tuxedo and the frown on her little face sinks deeper.

Like a rubber ball soaring through the air again after hitting the ground, Dani's stomach flies to her throat, threatening escape. She does the same before it can, dropping her bouquet to flee behind her until she finds a restroom.

"You weren't kidding when you said you were nervous about the wedding," Edmund remarks. He sounds so distant in Dani's ears despite standing in the doorway.

She turns back to stare into the latrine again, like it's a crystal ball with all the answers to life's never-ending troubles. That is, until the water turns into a flashing headlight, blinding her. She shrieks and stumbles back. Instead of a cold wall, she meets another body and she startles again.

"Whoa whoa easy, Poppins, easy, I've got you."

With a sharp intake of breath, Dani glances around. She's in her bathroom, back in Bly, facing a tub full of water and rose pedals—the steam of which reaches her nose, forcing her nasal passages open to calm her breathing. "W-wh-how did I get here?" she asks, turning back to Jamie behind her.

"Well, I thought it was pretty clear with the petals leading here, but that pretty little mind of yours decided to flitter off elsewhere again," Jamie replies with a small, forgiving smile. She brings a hand to the side of Dani’s face, tucking a blonde strand of hair behind her ear. "You came barging in here. I thought you were just excited until you almost puked in the tub."

"Oh, uh, I-s-sorry," Dani stutters, leaning into Jamie, who’s drawing soothing circles on her temple with her thumb. "You... You planned all this?"

"Yeah," Jamie says, like it's that easy, "of course."

"But... why?"

"Does there have to be a reason?"

"I suppose not... I... I'm sorry," Dani says again, "This is all really lovely."

"No need to apologize, love," Jamie assures, letting her hand slip to fall on top of Dani's clammy one. "If it's too much for tonight, we can reschedule. It's no problem."

"No, no, it's-it’s okay."

"Really?"

"Really," Dani insists with more certainty, "I'd hate to waste all this water. Besides, I could use it to unwind tonight."

"I'll say," Jamie chuckles before gesturing behind her. "Well then, go on. After you."

"Why me first?"

"I want to watch you undress," she says, again, as if it's that easy.

With the help of Jamie's weight, she gets back to her feet. She moves slow removing her garments though, relishing in every little reaction from Jamie, from something as small as the curve of her plush lips to the blush on her cheeks that comes close to rivaling the color of the petals surrounding them.

She's seen Dani naked before, and that's the beauty in it: It's like the first time every time, and it brings a blush to her own features. She never knew someone could love her pointy breasts or the sharp, pentagonal curve of her hips, but here Jamie is, taking tentative steps forward as she grapples for words. Eventually, she settles on three: "Dani... you're gorgeous."

Dani tucks the same strand of hair Jamie pushed away moments earlier with a smile. Jamie's quick not to erase it from her lips, but reinvent it to the mold of hers. Their tongues kiss and caress like two estranged friends running into each other out of pure happenstance, taking time to reintroduce themselves and catch up on lost time. The flat of Jamie's hands press firmer into the small of Dani's back as Dani cups Jamie's face with both her hands.

Jamie's the first to pull away. She nods between Dani and her clothes, posing a silent question. Dani answers with a nod of her own and starts removing Jamie’s flannel. Dani follows every newly exposed piece of flesh as she shucks Jamie’s overalls down with light suction marks down to her belly button. When she comes back up, she's met with a hungrier kiss that has Dani scrambling to undo Jamie's bra clasp and remove her underwear to Jamie's amusement as they almost stumble into the tub together.

Once they're settled in, Jamie assuming big spoon, Dani releases an overdue sigh.

"You know eventually, we'll have to talk about this," Jamie speaks up, tracing crescent moons into the underside of Dani's left breast.

"I know," Dani says, craning her head slightly to face her with a lazy smile. "I'll look forward to it almost as much as this."

"Doubtful. You don't know what I have planned for us later.”

Dani's right: She doesn't know. And what a privilege it is, not knowing how every second of your life will pan out. Between the warmth of the water making her muscles dance and the additional warmth of Jamie wrapped around her, Bly Manor has never felt more like home.


End file.
